5*5 vs 3*5 at 50 years old?

[tomhan66]

I hope some of you guys can say something meaningful to my questions.

I have been training for 30 years. Most of this time has been spent on kickboxing, running and wheighttraining. The wheighttraining has been there all the time but mostly in the bodybuilding style. A couple of months ago I bought Rippetoes books and I have tried some variations of his guidelines for TM and 4 day split.

I normally train in the morning. My problem is that 5*5 on the basic exercises make me totally exhausted. Is there some reason to change that into 3*5 as in the novice programme, but having it built into TM or 4 day split? How would you recommend me to programme the basic lifts, squats,dl, bench press and press?

thank you in advance.

[Carlos Daniel]

Have you read practical programming?

[bowdirk]

Need more info, Height, weight, and current weight lifted in the squat, dl, press. Also are you able to increase the weight every session?

I will be 51 tomorrow, youngster... :-)

-Bowdirk

[tomhan66]

more info: I am 5.11/197. I am 50 and I try to forget, but I wonder if it should be considered when it comes to programming. When I did the other sports I did quite a lot of isolation exercises. I understand now at my older days that these execises did not really help so much when it comes to strength. I have made some progress on the strength. 1rm squat 305, 1rm dl 330, bench press 245, press 165.

I like to train hard, but I wonder if it is to hard on the cns. Yes, I have read Practical Programming and Starting Strength.

Thank you for responding. I hope this fill fill in the information picture.

[Dastardly]

I think you need to do the basic starting strength linear progression.

The 5x5 volume day on TM, is supposed to fuck you up somewhat. Because 3x5 is not enough to drive adaptation.

[tomhan66]

...which means that I can still make use of the novice programme?

[slowjoe]

I think you need to do the basic starting strength linear progression.

The 5x5 volume day on TM, is supposed to fuck you up somewhat. Because 3x5 is not enough to drive adaptation.

Unless you've tried SS and Advanced Novice from PP, you should try them first.

The standard definition Rip uses of an intermediate is someone who no longer progresses on a workout to workout linear program. I would try that first. I just checked the section on masters trainees in PPed1, and it talks briefly about needing longer recovery and deloading, so maybe TM isn't going to work for you. I'd also look at ascending sets rather than sets across.

Sorry to ask a rather simple question, but have you increased your food consumption on the program? Have you put on weight?

[Dastardly]

...which means that I can still make use of the novice programme?

Yes you probably can. If you have a lot of training experience you probably wont be on it for as long. But its a great place to start, working your ability to train the big lifts and esepcially squat so frequently.

[tomhan66]

I do think I am eating enough. I have added some wheight. I am now in the process of rereading PP2nd edition. So far I do not have a firm grip on the difference in programming between the simple novice programme and advanced novice.

[LudwigVan]

I do think I am eating enough. I have added some wheight. I am now in the process of rereading PP2nd edition. So far I do not have a firm grip on the difference in programming between the simple novice programme and advanced novice.

Advanced novice just means that you do a light squat on Wednesday while continuing to increase your 3x5 weight on Monday and Friday.

What is your height and weight, and what are your lifts?